THE COSPEL PULPIT.

THE GOSPEL, THE WITNESS OF THE RESURRECTION.

A Sermon, Preached at Regent Street Chapel, City Road, on Lord's Day Evening, August 27, 1843,

BY MR. G. ABRAHAMS.

"And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all." -Acts iv. 33.

THE cross, love and faith, make a good minister; the cross stirs up, a spirit of love will never flinch, and faith, made strong by the Lord, must press forward. The apostle Paul declares, when thus brought into trials, tempted as it were from within and without, buffetted by the messenger in his flesh, even of Satan himself, which was given to him; it was then, even at that very time, that the power of Christ rested on him, he triumphed and declared he was exalted in the Lord, not in himself, "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then am I December, 1843.]

strong." You will find the apostles in this and the foregoing chapter, had been preaching by the help of God the true faith, fully and successfully; in the commencement of this chapter, such was the power that attended the testimony delivered, that many believed; under this sermon the number was about five thousand; the next, is the description of Peter before the council. You may be sure, where the real work of God is going on, there the enemy is sure to make a hurlyburly, trying to hinder the word of God going forward; being full of malice, he is in his instruments to werk by them. The poor disciples of the Lord, preaching the truth in the villages, not exalting, themselves, but the Lord Jesus, by which preaching, as I have observed, five thousand were converted, being brought before the great tribunal, they were threatened not to dare speak in that blessed name of Jesus; "but Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost," which makes all the difference, was not afraid when before this tribunal; he was bold in the Lord, and tells these great builders in Israel, the very stone rejected by them, had become the head of the corner; that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom they cru

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cified, "him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins." They said, that a notable miracle had been done by them, it was manifest to all them that dwelt at Jerusalem; they therefore straightly threatened them, that they should speak no more in this name. They were glad to proclaim the love and glory of God, how he had been raised from the dead; that was the grand secret of all, the sum and substance of their holy religion, that the great Surety had made an end of sin, that it was evident they taught this, that all concerning the dreadful score of sin and iniquity, was done away in Christ; look for the application, do not mistake the point; the word of God declares every sin is absolutely removed, as far as the east is from the west, they are carried into the depths of the sea; the great Surety has made an end of sin, therefore the guilt, filth and pollution of a child of God, is not to be found; it is lost and buried in the precious, atoning blood of the Lord Jesus, who has made a full propitiation and satisfaction for sin. But the application must be made, then there is peace. He lived again for the very express purpose, that the people of God may know what it is to sing, "Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion, for ever and ever. Amen." They were threatened, if they dare speak any more in this name, of their most glorious Lord, if they did, they must indeed take the consequence; they would be cast out, they would be excommunicated; the most awful execrations that ever the ear was as sailed by, were used by these and other poor deluded creatures, who had learned this same exorcism against God's dear family: nevertheless, after they had all the reproach

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given to them, that the devil and his party could pour on them, they came away, and went to their own company, where they were gladly and heartily received, rejoicing they were counted worthy to bear reproach and suffer for the dear name of Jesus they then gave themselves unto prayer: the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with power. There is no stopping the current of the river of God, when once the poor soul has had a taste of him. He who calleth the people to come to him. "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."

We have in our text, a description given of the ministration of the apostles, which like unto faithful pastors, knew they had received it of the Lord.

First; the apostles with great power, gave witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Secondly; the sum and substance of their preaching; they gave witness of the resurrection, the preaching of which embraces the whole gospel.

Thirdly; the fruit and effects that followed upon that, which were most blessed indeed, "great grace," it is said, "rested on them all.'

First; "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all." Peter, speaking in another place in his epistle, says, "By them that have preached the gospel unto you, with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven." Whenever the Lord commissions any of his servants to preach the gospel, as declared in my text, with great power, it is felt more or

less in the congregation assembled together; some are indeed brought to tremble at the terrors of the Lord; others are raised up, expecting the Lord will soon in his mercy appear for them, and that they shall be led in the way everlasting; others are brought to listen, the eyes of their understanding being enlightened, that they might know what is the hope of their calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. If it is not so, what do you come to chapel for, except to know whether the Lord God of Israel has any business with you? you do not come for mere pastime to the house of God; if that is the case, you are no better than Mahometans. Some of you know what the Lord has declared, "that where the word of a king is, there is power." When the Lord's servants declare with great power, in which way it is the soul is brought in guilty, it is said, "if any one cometh in unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all, and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest, and so falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth."

When the apostles preached with power to these people, how did they commence ? They declared, that of all the sins and iniquities of which they had been guilty, as a nation, they had added the greatest transgression to all their abominations, that of having crucified the Lord of life and glory; this caused their hearts to be pricked. When the Lord brings a soul to a discovering view of all their sins, of all which you have have been guilty, some of you have been running on in iniquity for many years,— if the Lord shines upon you, you will be ashamed of all you have done, if the Lord in his great mercy charge home that great sin, of the putting to death of the Lord Jesus. Every one convinced of sin, especially God's dear children, are convinced they had a hand in the death of the Lord Jesus;

for "he was wounded for our transgressions," he was stricken, smitten and afflicted of God for our sins; "he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed." Some of you have had some conviction for sins, and have thought thus with yourself: A sinner I certainly am, and my sins certainly do stare me in the face." If the Lord should in mercy go on with this work, and cause all your sins to be set in the light of his countenance, there will be no running away from it, and you will honestly confess your sins. Of all the sins set before a sinner, it is a question with me, whether the devil does not blind you, and keep back the greatest of all sins, the master-piece of the devil. Until I was brought to see that I was guilty of that sin, I was not completely broken down a beggar, a bankrupt; say you, That is strange indeed! In the bitterness of my spirit, I pleaded as well as I could; oh, I knew if I could but believe, if I was brought to believe, to have faith in the blood of the Lord Jesus, all would be right; but this cursed infidelity sets aside the whole revelation of God. But the Lord takes in hand the work, and then what is written, what God's dear Son has promised, comes to pass: the Comforter comes, to be with his people; he comes to them to be with them, for this express purpose, to convince the world of sin, because they believe not on him.

The apostles having thus preached with power, how did they come by it? We read in the foregoing verses, that the Holy Ghost came upon them, or that they were filled with the Holy Ghost: no strength in any man, all the power lies in the power of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost came down in the ministry of the word, writing sin against, or on the conscience; he seals up sin, so that you can say, as Job, My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou

sewest up mine iniquity." The Lord writing sin against the conscience, you cannot get away from it, until the Lord is pleased to purge your conscience, by an application of the atonement.

The apostles preached with great power. You know what is written in the word, "Them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." The glorious doctrine of the Holy Trinity in unity, is, the word of the Lord. Wherever there is a looseness and carelessness concerning the doctrine of the three-one Jehovah, there you will always find a deadness, barrenness, and lightness in such things; there is no power resting on the people for any time: others, whose religion is of a fleshly sort, though there may seem to be some sort of life, some energy, yet according to their own confession, according to the words from their own mouth, they shall be judged; are there not twelve hours in the day? if any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not." But that which comes from God, goes to God; it will not be dried up, until the Lord in his mercy finish the work, the glorious testimony in the conscience, that he hath for Christ's sake pardoned us.

aware, they must be made manifest as such. Every soul of you, says Peter, have sinned: all of you have; you have been guilty of a most solemn murder. Peter charged home the word of life, laid the sin of all sins to their charge, charging it right home upon their conscience; the Lord owned it, and they were pricked to the very heart. If ever you are convinced of sin, you will be obliged to confess it before the Lord, that of all the guilt and iniquity committed by you, this is the greatest of all sins, denying the Lord, and turning your back upon him, which you have done in a hundred instances, which has been the cause of barrenness; you have wandered in the wilderness, in a barren land. Say some, Let us have a little more of the world. You that are the children of God, will find, though of the election of grace, this gone and the other gone: find all your pleasures imaginary, nothing in the end but wormwood and gall; the Lord will make them so bitter to you, that you will be ready to give them all up for lost. If the Lord is pleased to look on your soul, you will be ready to listen to the great testimony we have here given, concerning Jesus of Nazareth.

They "gave witness, and that with great power, concerning the Lord Jesus." This, as I told you before, is the sum and substance of the everlasting gospel; "for if Christ be not raised, our faith is vain, and we are yet in our sins; then they also who are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished (the apostle says); but if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen; and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith also is vain :" then let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die.

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept." And by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, his assembled people shall have the victory over every enemy; their

sins, past, present and to come, were all done away in Christ: therefore, "there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

Let us consider the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus Christ: where shall we begin? where the Holy Ghost begins: after Christ's ascension into paradise, he was pleased to give the disciples aid; Paul committed this saying to the church, "That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take eat, this is my body, which is broken for you." Then, as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew forth the Lord's death till he come. There is no shewing the resurrection of Jesus Christ effectually, and for his glory, without shewing what sort of death he died. You hear something or have you read of the resurrection? Do you understand it? what does it mean? the grand and glorious hope about to be revealed, hanging on this glorious doctrine, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead? Let us return to the solemn subject of Christ's coming in the flesh : "but when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his only begotten Son in truth and love, made of a woman, made under the law," for this express purpose, in this nature-to redeem them that were under the law, that you might know many who have fled to the law, yet are under bondage to the law-they are condemned by it; Christ came, fulfilling the claims of it, answering all its requirements: it is said by the mouth of Peter, the Holy Ghost declares, that he carried all the sins of his own people, in his own body on the tree ; For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

I am

more particular on this ground than

I used to be; bless God for it. He carried our sins in his own body on the tree; clear enough, for every humble soul to understand; the relation between the condemnation and the guilt of it; sin was imputed to the Lord, but you must always bear in mind, that though the sins of all God's people were imputed to him, he remained a pure and holy body, pure and holy as the Godhead, But sin, as regards us is indwelling. As I come from home, I carry some sins in my body; I brought them into the pulpit with me, they roll about me; nothing but sin, from the sole of the feet to the crown of the head: I have got an old man, corrupt with his deeds; I carry sin in me and with me, at home and abroad; the apostle speaks, "For I know that in me, (that is in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing; for to will is present with me, but how to perform that which is good I know not; for the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do? Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me;" so that it must ever be understood, by the sins in his body, when he bare them on the tree, the guilt of them, that which damns or curses for sin; there lies the great secret: if we search into the words of God, take up the sacred records. if the Lord has given us light to see, we shall see it is an awful insult to the Lord of life and glory, to say that he partook of our filth. When the Jew brought his sacrifice to the temple, the man put his hand on the beast, confessed his sins, and gave it to the priest to make an atonement for him at the the great day of atonement: at the annual sacrifice, the scape goat was brought, and the priest put his hands on it, and confessed the sins of God's people on the goat; all their iniquities, and all their sins. Now who would be so foolish as to say, that the murders, lying, drunkenness, and all the filth was actually